Fermanagh Minor Football Championship Final
Enniskillen Gaels 4-11 v Derrygonnelly Harps 1-7
Enniskillen Gaels made it three in a row of Minor Championship titles with a deserving 13 point victory over Derrygonnelly Harps at Brewster Park on Saturday evening.
It was a Micheal Glynn free who would start the scoring in this contest before we had to go a full 12 minutes before the next score came as Enniskillen’s Conor Love tied the side’s level.
John Reihill a minute later then nudged Enniskillen into the lead before an exceptional soccer style goal from wing half forward Callum Jones went high into the corner of the net to make it 1-2 to 0-1.
John Reihill made it a five point game on 19 minutes but a Rian McGovern score kept Derrygonnelly in the hunt, 1-3 to 0-2.
Enniskillen’s Ronan Beattie pointed after tremendous work by centre half back Johnny Cassidy, while at the other end Gavin McGovern pointed from a free on 26 minutes.
Right on the stroke of half time Enniskillen would hit two points from John Reihill and Callum Jones as Enniskillen went in at the break leading, 1-6 to 0-3.
The second half was only 16 seconds old when Matthew Dixon pushed Enniskillen seven points clear and when Eoin Beacom pointed it looked like the Derrygonnelly uphill battle had suddenly became a mountain.
Ronan McHugh pointed for the Harps after good work by brothers Gavin and Rian McGoven, but a Conor Love goal all of a sudden made it 2-8 to 0-4.
Eoin Beacom and Oisin Smyth exchanged scores, while the Gaels would play out the remaining 12 minutes with 14 men as corner forward Matthew Dixon picked up a straight red card.
Eoin Beacom hit a third Enniskillen goal to really kill the tie, but credit must be given to a young Derrygonnelly side that battled gamely throughout and hit back with a double point salvo from Gavin McGovern and Aidan McKenna as the game went into the final five minutes.
Darragh McGrath hit a consolation Derrygonnelly goal but directly from the kickout Enniskillen would go up the field and hit a fourth goal as Conor Love showed his class to skip past the Harps defenders and put a real gloss on the scoreboard.
Overall favourites Enniskillen justified the tag rightly and had some fine performers to note.
Derrygonnelly will take heart, it’s a very young side and they will certainly be back next season.
Well done Enniskillen and good luck in the Ulster Club Championship.
Referee – Karol Bradshaw (St Patricks Donagh)
